When I'll be your man
by Naidoo
Summary: Sequel to 'When I was your man'. Jack comes to realize what he really wants. But is ianto still interested and more importantly, is Jack already too late with his realization?
1. Chapter 1

_AN: This is the sequel to my story 'When I was your man'. You should probably read that first to understand the sequel :) I can guarantee everyone who did read it, this won't be one of these sequels where Jack does a 180 and all of a sudden is head over heels. :) This is a WIP - work in progress - so i have no idea about rating, when this story will get updated - although I aim at once a week at least - and what will happen. I know how it ends and a rough path of how I will get there. But how do they always say ''Sometimes the way to a destination is more fun than the destination itself.' With these words... Enjoy. I always welcome a review/comment, especially when they contain constructive critizism..._

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Three weeks after I had learned about Ianto and his newfound happiness I came to realize that I missed him. Not just him, I missed… quite a few things. And the sex was surprisingly not one of these things. Sure, it has been great, but… now, when I was on my own at night, I realized that I missed him and the feelings he gave me more than anything. Not waking up alone was one of them and quite possibly top of that that list. It wasn't as if Ianto and I had spent every waking minute together. No, we actually only spent about two nights a week together. And those two nights were anything but romantic, because… we didn't need that. Or, well, rather I didn't. I wasn't in this for a relationship, feelings or anything deeper. I knew Ianto was, that he was the idealist, who hoped this would turn into something else. But it never did, and I was making sure it didn't.

Well, I at least thought it never did. But clearly, when I was missing the feeling of waking up next to him or the feeling of just spending time that didn't involve Torchwood stuff… something was going on. And I couldn't figure out how the hell it happened. But I was damned if I would now start acting all sappy, sad Hollywood-movie by running to him, getting soaked by rain and professing my undying love. Not. Going. To. Happen.

"Sir?" I had a familiar voice yanking me out of my thoughts. I looked up from the papers I had been looking at for what seemed hours and saw Ianto looking at me, a funny expression on his face.

"Sorry, Ianto, did you say something?"

"I was just brining you your regular dose of industrial strength coffee. And was wondering whether you are ok? You seemed a bit absent there for a moment."

"Just stuff that has me thinking and… paperwork," I smiled, indicating at the files in front of me. Ianto leaned forward and reached for the file, trying to see what I was working on. The closeness presented me with a big hit of his after shave – a scent that sent me back to nights I had spent in bed with him. _Focus_, I reprimanded himself. Not the place, and certainly not the time. A second later my eyes caught sight of something, something that made me look up at Ianto, concerned, worried even.

"Are you alright?" I asked rather abrupt, seeing Ianto putting the file back the way it had been a few moments ago.

"I…I'm fine, sir," he said, looking slightly confused at me. Not that I could blame him. My question had come of rather sudden and a bit unexpected.

"Are you sure?" I asked, reaching for his wrist and turning it the way it had been a moment ago when Ianto reached for the file. The deep, blue-violet bruising looked anything but beautiful and rather violent. Knowing for a fact that Ianto hadn't been out in the field for the past few weeks, I was certain this was not job-related. I was shocked about the feeling I had all of a sudden when seeing the bruising on his wrists.

"I am," Ianto said confidently.

"If there is something you wanna talk ab-" I started, but he interrupted me.

"Don't…" was all he said for a moment. "Just don't." he repeated, holding up his hand as if to stop me from something. "Jack, we never were good at talking, so why start now?"

He had a point, I gave him that. During our nocturnal activities we certainly did not do a lot of talking, or talking at all, unless it was to specify what to do to each other, or how good something felt.

I heard him let out a sigh, before he plopped down on the visitor's chair opposite from my desk. "Look…is this going to be a problem?" he asked a moment later which had me confused, since I didn't know what he was talking about. Was he talking about the bruising? Because if he was, this sure as well would be a problem. If Ianto Jones thought I would let someone run around, hurting my favorite Welshmen, that Ianto Jones was mistaken.

_Had I just called Ianto 'my favorite Welshman'? Because that didn't sound possessive at all. _ And great, now I was being jealous. Although, maybe more protective than jealous really.

"Me, having a boyfriend, a life outside Torchwood. Me and you not sharing a bed any longer…" he explained and I saw what he referred to. "And I know that you know about Parker. Tosh told me. So don't even try to act all surprised," he smiled a moment later.

I have to admit, for a moment I was actually thinking of going down that way. Pretending cluelessness and surprise, like I hadn't known about Parker.

I had to admit the irony was not lost on me. I had always expected, if the day should ever come that it would seem like Ianto was distracted by what we did at night, it would be _me_ who'd be asking that very same question. Leave it to Ianto to change _that_ as well.

"This won't be an issue," I assured him. I just wanted to know what was going on. So I pointed towards the wrist again. "I just want to make sure you are alright and that you know if there is something you wanna talk abo-"

Once again he interrupted me.

"Jack, if you think this was Parker you are wrong," he said, looking straight at me. "Well… technically you are not completely wrong, but this was not some kind of act of domestic violence. I was in fact a very willing participant in the activities that lead to the bruising…" Ianto said, still looking me straight in the eye. I saw the soft pink that tinted his cheeks and I had quite a good idea what these activities involved. If I remembered correctly, Ianto loved being tied down in a quite literal way.

"And you of all people should know that I am bruising quite easily. After all… you managed to cause quite a few of these yourself…." He smiled shyly at me and just like that I felt like the biggest dickhead. I had never noticed. Not once. But then again… I had never looked at Ianto properly. I always _assumed_ he was alright, well, except you counted this idea he had off us becoming anything more serious.

I saw him shift and get up from the chair, moving slowly towards the door. My next question surprised even me.

"Are you happy?"

It stopped him in his tracks. I saw him turn around, nodding and smiling at me.

"Very," he said a moment later and I knew I didn't imagine the hesitation for a moment.

"Good," I said, nodding. And then he was gone, doing whatever he felt needed his attention and leaving me to avoid my paperwork.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: I'm aware that when I posted this first chapter of the sequel, I said I try for an update a week. Well... that was two months ago. Or maybe even nearly three. Have to admit half the fault gets blamed on my muse. I had several starts for a second chapter, but somehow they all... didn't work out how I wanted them to work. And my RL lately seems crazy. Anyway... here is chapter two and I promise the next chapter hopefully will come a bit quicker. Reviews are appreciate and kind of seem to feed my muse :)_

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It had been weeks since I had learned about Parker, since I had come to the realization that this whole thing with Ianto had not been entirely what I made it to be. He looked happy and content. It wasn't something the others probably noticed, since to them it probably looked just like he always was. I only recognized the small change because I had managed to get a glance behind Ianto's carefully built up mask. Over the course of our 'affair' and mainly during moments of bliss or post-coital bliss I managed to see a side that was hidden from everyone else.

"You know, you are not obvious at all…" I heard Tosh's voice from behind and a moment later she was standing next to me, leaning against the railing and looking down, over the Hub, doing what I had been doing for the past hour or so.

"What do you mean?" I asked nonchalantly, although I know perfectly well what she was talking about.

"Standing here, watching him. What is it with you two anyway? I mean… we all know what you have been up to until recently. You and Ianto I mean. I have to admit though, I – well, all of us – were somehow expecting the end – if it should ever come – to be… messy."

"What do you mean 'messy'?"

"Well… with you acting all… strange around each other and the dynamics would somehow change. That there would be jealousy and … power-plays, you going all ballistic and trying to proof a point. Neither you or Ianto are the emotional kind of people, but still… the end to an affair, relationship or whatever it was you had is never… easy, let alone when it is with someone you will be seeing several hours every day since you work with them."

"It wouldn't have been like that with Ianto and me. Well… it isn't as you can see."

"Maybe not, but you can't deny something has changed. Hell, you are standing here since hours, watching him. And you have been doing this the past few days."

"I've just been thinking. I always stand here when I need to think and don't feel like standing on a tall building. Looking down at things gives me perspective and helps me…think."

"Think about you and Ianto?" I heard her asking hopeful.

"Tosh will you just stop asking about Ianto. He's in a relationship, it's done, over, finished." And maybe that came out a bit stronger than intended. Judging by the looks I got from her, she thought so too.

"Does that mean you finally reached the point after all these weeks where you are going to admit that you love him?" Tosh asked, sounding slightly surprised.

"No," I said – and weirdly when saying this something inside me hurt -, and I saw Tosh's surprise being replaced with disappointment. "And even if I was… which I am not… I think I would be too late," I went on, pointing down towards Ianto who was walking through the Hub doing several of his tasks.

"What makes you said that?" I heard her ask, which actually made me laugh for a moment. Apparently I was laughing loud enough for Ianto to hear, since he turned around and looked up to us.

"Weren't you listening? Does the name Parker ring any bell? I hardly doubt Ianto is the kind of guy that leaves a relationship, which was pointed out by you and Gwen a few days earlier as 'the one that gives him all he needs' to have some go at… whatever we could have."

There was silence for a moment, I suspected my argument was successful with Tosh, but when I turned towards her again I just saw her shaking her head slightly over and over again, rolling her eyes and just sighing.

"What now?"

"I'm not sure if you ever realized it – probably not – but Ianto was head over heels the moment he started working for you. I suspect if either of us would have been there when you two meet for the first time out in Bute Park, we could probably have witnessed sparks. At least on his side. I assume it didn't get any better when you started… sleeping with each other. And you really want to tell me now, that he got over his crush on you over the course of a few weeks? After he spent the better of the last one and a half years in your bed and with this crush? If you think so, Jack, I have to admit you are naïve."

I looked at her shocked for a moment. That certainly was a side I have never seen of her before.

"Naïve?" I asked. "He had a girlfriend when we met-" I started, but was interrupted by Tosh.

"Yet, he slept with you," she argued

"Yes, to…save her and distract me. He only slept with me, so I wouldn't notice him moving Lisa into our basement. "

"Well, did he stop sleeping with you when Lisa was… taken care of?" she asked, only hesitating for a moment after my argument.

"No," I answered, sounding as if that would have been impossible not to.

"So it wasn't just about saving Lisa. Sure, maybe at first, who knows – and I highly doubt you actually did ask him. But if it had only been about distracting you and saving his half-converted girlfriend, he surely wouldn't have found his way back into your bed."

"Well, I'm not so sure about that…" I said ruefully, remembering how he actually never came to me, but how it always was me, that was seeking out his company and … comfort.

"I'm certain you didn't hold a gun to his head, telling him to sleep with you," Tosh said humorous, before turning towards me quickly, looking for confirmation. "Oh god, please tell me, you didn't!"

"What? No! I actually can claim that all my bed companions come to me freely."

"Well, there you have it. He came to you, sleeping with you without any second agenda. You made him happy. Maybe not the way he was hoping you eventually would, but for the moment he was there, with you, he was happy."

"And then he left, to find a better form of happiness. One that wasn't just…. one-sided."

"You honestly still denying that there are feeling on your side, Jack? Really?"

"There's nothing to deny, since there is nothing that needs confirmation to begin with. Period. There are no feelings on my side. It was…. it was fun, while it lasted…." I said, hearing a frustrated sigh coming from Tosh.

"Right and that's why we are standing up here, watching Ianto….Because there are no feelings."

I decided to better not reply to this.

A moment later I heard her talking again, probably realizing I wasn't going to respond. "For someone who has been around for more than 100 years and comes from the future you are incredibly stubborn and … not very wise," she said, shaking her head and making her way down to the Main-Hub again, leaving me to my thoughts once more.


End file.
